Wyoming Cowboys Football

Wyoming sophomore Xavier Lewis suffered a stroke late Wednesday night. Luckily, teammate Eric Nzeocha was there, recognized the symptoms and rushed the safety to the hospital for potentially life-saving treatment.

Mike Vorel of the Casper Star-Tribune reports Lewis was transported from the local hospital to Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado. The player's father, Quentin Lewis, told the outlet he's now resting and making swift strides in his recovery:

He's back in Colorado right now, resting and recovering. It's a work in progress. We've got a lot of faith as a family. We've all bonded together, and Xavier's coming through it. He's progressing fast.

The elder Lewis also said his son has received plenty of support from the Cowboys. Numerous coaches and players have either made the trip to visit him in the hospital or have called to send along their well wishes already.

Wide receiver Tanner Simpson was among those to post message of support on social media:

Thinking bout you @X_eLVintage stay strong famo

— Tanner Simpson (@_tannersimpson) December 12, 2014

Lewis' father also praised Nzeocha for knowing what to do in a difficult situation and getting to the hospital as soon as he knew something was wrong.

"Eric Nzeocha saved him," Quentin Lewis said. "You have to give him the most accolades ever. The kids that have now stood behind Xavier, to me as a parent, that’s the best thing in the world."

Obviously things could have been a lot worse if not for those quick actions. Now, it sounds like Lewis is already making his way down the road to recovery.

As a draft analyst, one of the last quarterbacks on my list to scout was Wyoming junior Brett Smith.

Admittedly, I was none too thrilled to be watching film of a Mountain West quarterback with a losing record (17-20) and an omission from the NFL Scouting Combine on his resume. Yet, after a few games of resisting the urge to be incredibly impressed, I could hold my enthusiasm back no longer.

This is the time of year when most days are spent in a dark room watching tape until hundreds of NFL hopefuls have been identified and graded—each trying to not only convince an NFL team they belong, but perhaps subconsciously convince themselves as well.  

The truth is, not a single young man out there training his butt off for a shot at the NFL really knows what the NFL is like.

It’s a place where hotshot All-Stars go to be humbled by an entirely new level of competition. It’s an unforgiving league that will weed out the weak faster than a pride of lions on the Serengeti.

Year	Comp. %	Passing Yards	TD Passes	INT
2011	61.0	2,622	20	11
2012	62.1	2,837	27	6
2013	62.6	3,375	29	11

So I watched another game of this odd-looking kid, and another. What the tape showed over and over again was a terrific competitor making plays all over the field with his legs, arm and very little help from a supporting cast.

It was as if someone took Johnny Manziel, put him on a team of castoffs, stretched him vertically and harnessed his manic playing style into a more controlled, steady burn. In his three years at Wyoming, Smith rushed for 1,529 yards and 20 touchdowns while throwing 76 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.

Keep in mind any Manziel comparison coming his way speaks more to his unique mobility and affinity for ad-libbing than anything else. Aside from that, it kept getting better.

One of the more impressive things about Smith’s makeup was his incredibly consistent mid-range accuracy. Nearly every throw over the course of several games was placed exactly where it needed to be. He also flashed rare accuracy while on the move or under pressure.

These are critical skills for any NFL quarterback in today’s game and certainly contributed to Smith’s 61.9-percent completion rate at Wyoming.

Coupled with his accuracy was enough zip to place the ball perfectly into tight windows 10-to-20 yards downfield.

One of the most important factors in determining a QB’s success at the next level is his ability to deliver under pressure.

Throwing an accurate pass while a 280-pound mound of muscle launches into your chest is a vastly underappreciated skill in the evaluation process—yet this trait is oftentimes significantly more valuable than a guy’s frame, arm strength or hand size.

The same can be said about the importance of a quarterback’s ability to put the team on his shoulders and carry it for four quarters despite being significantly overmatched.

Smith is certainly the type of respected leader who can keep his teammates believing they have a chance regardless of the score. Perhaps one of the better examples of this leadership quality is the 2013 season opener against Nebraska.

After watching every bit of tape available on Wyoming’s prolific dual-threat passer, it was time to get this guy on the phone. Thankfully, he was courteous enough to grant Bleacher Report a last-minute interview.

When asked about the Nebraska game, he described it as "one of the proudest games I’ve ever played in."

He went on to explain:

"I remember we were down, 31-14, in the third quarter. I got to the sideline and just started screaming to the guys to keep the fire going and not to give up. I was really proud of the way we fought back as a team and gave Nebraska everything we had. It was like everything just started to click for us."

If you watch that game close, you’ll see a guy who knows how to rise up from adversity to carry a team across the finish line. But as you watch his competitiveness, keep an eye on his accuracy as well.  

Wyoming went on to lose that game, 37-34, but showed it could stand toe-to-toe with elite-level talent—thanks in large part to its steady quarterback, Brett Smith.

Despite being showered with school records such as total offense (10,390 yards), touchdowns (97), touchdown passes (76), as well as the Mountain West and Wyoming record for total yards in a game (640) and finishing second in school history with 8,829 passing yards, Smith was shockingly one of only 13 underclassmen to declare for the draft and not get an invite to the combine.

In 2014, 355 prospects were invited to Indianapolis, while only 256 players will be drafted this May.

When asked why he thinks he wasn’t invited, he said, "I called them up, and they said it was because there was a record number of underclassmen who declared this year, and they wanted to make sure they had enough spots available for seniors."

Though this is certainly a contributing factor with a record 98 underclassmen declaring, it explains only a small portion of the reason. This year, the combine played host to 19 quarterbacks looking to impress all 32 teams on the big stage—none of them named Brett Smith. 

So what fatal flaws could he possibly have to warrant 19 QBs going ahead of him?

His footwork is certainly a negative element to his game that pops up rather quickly.

In a candid interview with the Casper Star-Tribune's Mike Vorel, Smith had this to say regarding his footwork:

Towards the end of the year we were doing a lot of east/west concepts where I’d throw bubbles or really short two-yard passes, so I was just getting it out and throwing it as fast as I can. I wasn’t worrying about my feet, so my footwork got really, really bad. I was just catching and throwing, because that’s what the coaches were telling me to do.

Nonetheless, college quarterbacks are notorious for displaying poor foot mechanics. Besides, buried within this flaw emerges a promising concept. If he can be this accurate and proficient with poor footwork, imagine what he can do when he puts it all together. That has to at least be an intriguing thought, no?

Maybe the big knock on him is his wiry, odd-looking frame that appears to have no business in an NFL uniform.

This concern is somewhat valid considering he is likely to measure in around 6’2” and 200 pounds. But in reviewing the tape, he constantly displays incredible, functional strength and is a tough mamma jamma to bring down with an arm tackle. Not to mention, Smith can deliver a mean stiff-arm when needed.

But if size or a skinny frame were really such a concern for scouts, why are prospects like Johnny Manziel (6'0", 207 pounds) and Teddy Bridgewater (6'2", 214) being considered for the No.1 overall pick in the draft?

Anyhow, last time I checked, they do fill out as they get older—especially if they dedicate themselves to a weight room.

Another common critique swirling around the Twitter draft community is questionable arm strength. This is something I, too, worried about and kept a close eye on.

It’s true that he doesn’t have the strongest arm in this class, but he does have an extremely quick release that comes with impressive zip. This allows him to throw passes into blanket coverage over great distances, which seems to override any tangible argument that he lacks an NFL arm.

Though unconfirmed by any official measurement, Smith looks to have relatively small hands. This may concern many evaluators who believe quarterbacks with small hands rarely have much success at the next level. If it turns out his hand measurement falls on the smaller side, this is something to take into account that could diminish his potential to a degree.

But could this actually be a worthy reason to keep him out of the combine? I doubt it, considering plenty of below-average hands were represented in Indianapolis at the QB position.

When pressed to give a prediction on his 40-yard-dash time, the man who prefers to let his actions do the talking eventually said, "I believe I would’ve had one of the faster times out there for quarterbacks. I tried watching it on TV but eventually became too frustrated and had to turn it off and go outside."

Despite being egregiously snubbed by the combine, Smith remains convinced he made the right decision to enter the draft when he did.

"Even if I don’t get drafted and end up signing as an undrafted free agent, I wouldn’t feel it was a mistake. I’m trying to make my dream of being an NFL quarterback a reality and didn’t want to wait any longer. I believe that I can be a top guy in this draft class and from a strategic perspective, it seems like a lot of teams are in need of a quarterback right now."

Brett is all too familiar with being overlooked and has learned to use it as fuel for an impressive work ethic that he identifies as his primary asset as a football player.

"Ever since I was in high school I wasn’t recruited and wasn’t given much respect at Wyoming. People have always been telling me I’m not good enough to live my dream. That can be hard to hear over time. It has been hard. It forces me to ask myself why I’m doing this. Do I love it? I do."

This prompted an inquiry about his goals as a quarterback.

"This may sound cliche, but I’ve always had this crazy, vivid dream of being world champion—to be at the top, to be the best.  Every day I put on my headphones and visualize, every single day. It feels weird walking without music. I need to visualize. I have aspirations to be the best quarterback in the NFL. I don’t play this game to blend in and be just another quarterback. I don’t work to be sixth- or seventh-ranked quarterback in the draft. I want to be the most productive. I approach this whole process to be the best."

At the moment, it appears as though NFL scouts are positioning themselves to make the same mistake colleges made three years earlier when they doubted his ability to play Division I football.

To say Brett Smith plays with a chip on his shoulder would be an understatement. Even a Doritos-sized chip would do him no justice with regard to the disrespect and doubt he has had to endure. Even he admits being the perpetual underdog can be “disappointing, frustrating and, at times, exhausting.”

One thing the evaluation process has always struggled to measure accurately is the size of a man’s heart, drive and willingness to overcome obstacles.

I personally believe Smith has a very real chance to eventually become the best quarterback of this draft class. His propensity to visualize the game long before it materializes is reminiscent of the newly anointed Super Bowl champion, and fellow underdog, Russell Wilson.

Wilson is a guy who spends a lot of time visualizing what he wants to happen on a football field. Smith added, "I spend a lot of time with my headphones on just visualizing playing in the NFL. When I say a lot of time, I mean I do this every single day."

My only explanation for him not making a trip to Indianapolis is that teams interested in drafting him are holding their cards close to the chest and don’t want other organizations to get a better look or see their interest in him.

This type of game-playing is not uncommon and may be just enough to cause him to slide into the middle-to-late rounds. Given everything he brings to the table as a highly intriguing prospect, there really isn’t a better explanation that comes to mind.

Whichever team wises up and takes him should be getting the steal of the draft. There was another wiry quarterback drafted in the third round, way back in 1979—some guy by the name of Joe Montana.  

Note: All quotes were obtained firsthand from Brett Smith unless stated otherwise. Statistics courtesy of Sports-Reference.com.

Ryan Riddle is a former NFL player and currently writes for Bleacher Report.

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He never had it easy.

Sitting in a quiet hotel room detailing a complicated past, Wyoming wide receiver Robert Herron opened up about a life not many could understand.

Raised in South Central Los Angeles, a place where the odds are not in a young man’s favor, this story includes no silver spoons.

A stoic Herron, driven by a need to succeed and persevere, couldn’t help but succumb to the emotions of his past.

A brief moment of vulnerability from a rock-solid young man soon dissipates as Herron continues sharing his journey of strength, focus and determination. At every step, every new encounter, he faced a myriad of challenges around each corner.

He never had it easy.

At 14 years old, Herron spent two months living in various hotel rooms, sleeping in cars, never a consistent place to rest his head.

He was homeless.

Herron’s father was incarcerated when he was four years old and was never a consistent figure early in Herron's life. He was just recently released from prison.

His mother, also in and out of his life, struggled to the point where he was brought in by a family member willing to treat Herron as their own.

That family member, a first cousin of Herron’s dad who is referred to as Aunt Kathy (Hales), had never met Herron before she agreed to open her home to him.

“It wasn’t easy, there was a lot of issues,” Hales said. “I just wanted him to feel like he was my son with everything he had been through. I struggled to make sure I gave Robert love and guidance and attention but also my own son, but at that time Robert needed it more.”

Hales has a distant relationship with Herron’s dad, her first cousin, and has not spoken with Herron’s mother in eight years, when they mutually agreed she would take care of him.

Hales emotionally recalls the situation when Herron first arrived at her home.

“When I finally took Robert in he didn’t have anything but the clothes on his back,” Hales said. “He never asked anyone for any help.”

Herron learned at an early age how to fend for himself, to not rely on others or expect handouts.  It’s those lessons, although tough and unfair in many ways, that shaped Herron into the man he is today.

Consequently, Herron has made a name for himself as a rising NFL draft prospect, but Herron’s story is far more than a stat line, box score or scouting report. The obstacles Herron has overcome can only be truly understood by a handful of people, most notably, Hales.

“She’s been there when my mom was struggling,” Herron said of Hales. “She opened her house to me and took me in. She’s always just stayed on top of me and took care of me.”

The bond these two share is only rivaled by a handful of people in Herron’s life: his few close friends back at Dorsey High School and one of his former coaches and current advisor, Ivan Stephenson.

Both Hales and Stephenson made the trip down to Mobile, Ala., where Herron continued to make a name for himself as an electric playmaker at the Senior Bowl practices.

The opportunity

Every college football player dreams of the opportunity to play in the Senior Bowl. It’s the most prestigious invitation a player with hopes of playing in the NFL can be given.

Herron was given that opportunity after he caught 72 passes for 937 yards and nine touchdowns last season at Wyoming.

But coming from a small school, Stephenson believes Herron will always feel like he has to prove he belongs with the best.

“He’ll always have that edge about him,” Stephenson said. “Right now he’s that kid from Wyoming, but he knows he can play and this arena really solidified that.”

According to lead NFL draft writer for Bleacher Report, Matt Miller, who was at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Herron solidified what he already knew.  

Herron is the ideal slot receiver prospect. His short area quickness and explosion make him one of the most exciting players in this year's senior class. He stood out as impossible to catch in coverage and as his comfortability improved, so did his production with unfamiliar QBs. Herron made himself money this week and could be this year's Marquise Goodwin.

While some players chose not to attend the Senior Bowl when given the chance, Herron jumped at the opportunity.

“I was excited to come and play against the best,” Herron said. “It’s everything I wanted and it’s a little overwhelming at times, but I don’t care about the attention. I just want to fulfill my goal, get drafted, make a team and just play.”

The fulfillment of these goals goes all the way back to high school for Herron, where a struggling teenager used training and football as means to an end.

He was going to use football to ensure his future was nothing like his past. 

The beginning

After attending Hamilton High School the first two years of high school, Herron decided to transfer to Dorsey after his sophomore year and play for legendary head coach Paul Knox. 

The two schools are separated by just three miles in South Central Los Angeles. Dorsey has produced NFL players Keyshawn Johnson, Dennis Northcutt, Na’il Diggs and coach Hue Jackson, among others.

Despite not playing football until his freshman year, Herron decided that transferring to Dorsey for “football reasons” would prove beneficial to him in the long run.

Knox remembers trying to find a place for Herron to play.

"When we first got him at Dorsey we moved him all over the place," Knox said. "We tried him on defense before eventually settling on receiver. That's obviously where he excelled."

Dorsey also happened to be closer to Hales and where he’d be living.

Meanwhile, Herron’s breakout game in high school was against San Fernando during his junior season, where he finally got to showcase his skills after pulling in two touchdowns that night.

“That was my joint right there,” Herron said. “That was my proving people I can play this game.”

While playing at Dorsey, Herron came across the path of a positional coach, Jeff Johnson, who happened to have a cousin also attending Dorsey.

It was during his senior year that Johnson remembers giving Herron, whom he didn’t know at the time, tips from the sideline on how to use head fakes when running his routes. Johnson was impressed at how quick Herron picked up his coaching, even between drives during this game.

It wouldn’t be long before the two were working out privately.

Johnson normally only worked with college and professional players, but he noticed something in Herron that he wanted to develop.

“You have this raw athlete who has a high ceiling and has never been taught,” Johnson said. “Inner city kid who’s definitely never had any professional coaching, or teaching at the time.”

Johnson was intrigued by Herron’s innate physical abilities, and Herron was eager to learn.

“He didn’t have a car so to get to and from workouts I had to pick him up,” Johnson said. “I didn’t have to call him to work out. He was always calling me.”

It was at that point Herron knew what he wanted. He had always known he was a good athlete. As a kid, he was always the fastest guy around, and he knew eventually that would help him on the football field.

But growing up in a rough area, there was more to it than just having a goal and some dreams.

“Robert is special and it’s all up between the ears,” Johnson said. “It’s very mental with him. He saw one life that he did not want to live and abide by, so he tried to follow his opportunity and exhaust it with football.”

Johnson also believes the community around Herron often reminded him of what he was working to avoid.

“Seeing a lot of guys around in the neighborhood who had the athletic ability who still didn’t make it,” Johnson said. “That drove him as well.”

There was never a doubt in Herron’s mind that he could play football at a high level, and that he was going to “make it” playing football. That inner-confidence was always there, but that didn’t mean there weren’t times in high school the lack of college scholarship opportunities didn’t weigh on him.

Herron recalled a time that he and his best friend at Dorsey, current Boise State cornerback Cleshawn Page, reflected on a lack of college interest in them at the time.

Herron’s drive and determination to be successful quickly manifested itself into vulnerability and emotion in this quiet hotel room.   

“That’s my boy right there,” Herron said while gathering himself. “Really we were just talking about how we were just going to make it no matter what. His dad was in prison too and we talked about being the first in our generation to really do something with our lives.”

Through all of the hardships Herron dealt with as a child, an absent father who was in prison, a mother who struggled to take care of herself at times and not having a consistent place to sleep during a small stretch, none of those things had the emotional impact in talking with Herron as his recruitment did.

He looked at football as a way to take care of himself, so he never had to worry about the kinds of things he did as a kid.

“People have their own situations in life and I feel like, they couldn’t handle it at the time and I’ve just got to get mine,” Herron said of his parents.

The scholarships weren’t pouring in for Herron during his senior season.

“I always knew but nobody else knew, but Ivan (Stephenson) was always there for me and helping me out,” Herron said. “That’s what bothered me the most, not living up to the expectations of myself.”

An opportunity finally did come for Herron to play in college, and it couldn’t have been in a place more different than South Central Los Angeles.

Just what he needed

From the hustle and bustle of California to the laid back style of Laramie, Wyo., the community’s couldn’t have been more different for Herron.  

Thanks to the efforts of then-recruiting coordinator at Wyoming, Marcus Arroyo, who’s now the quarterbacks coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Herron was given an opportunity to play football at Wyoming.

But it wasn’t an easy transition for Herron during his freshman year, who signed so late in the process that he missed all of the summer camps and workouts.

“It was a 360-degree turn, I was home sick,” Herron said. “I feel I was isolated from everything. I didn’t get to be up there in the summer with the other freshmen to get adapted. So I was like thrown in there during the fall camp. It was just totally different.”

Even though it started off difficult, Hales believes that it was crucial for Herron to get away from all of the distractions in Los Angeles.

“Going to Wyoming made a huge difference in his life,” Hales said. “If Robert had stayed here there’s no way he’d be in the position he’s in today.”

And despite the rough start to his life in Laramie, Herron knows it helped him get to where he is today.

“Being in Wyoming those four years, I just feel like it just made me a better man,” Herron said. “It made me more mature to be able to live in that situation. I would say that shaped me, just trying to take advantage of my opportunities.”

Herron finished his career at Wyoming with 152 receptions for 2,030 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Through all of the ups and downs in getting to Wyoming, then staying at Wyoming, Herron never wavered on his primary goal, which was to play in the NFL.

He never had it easy

The people who often have the most impact in the lives of others weren’t setting out to do so. They never see themselves as anything more than a simple, focused individual.  

This is the case with Herron.

He doesn’t see himself as a person who has done anything special. But when you look at his situation, it’s truly remarkable what he’s been able to overcome to even put himself in the position he’s in now.  

He’s had every excuse imaginable to throw in the towel and say it’s just too difficult, and frankly nobody probably would have blamed him. But that thought process doesn’t even compute with him. It’s not an option or even considered, and that’s why he’s special.

Back in high school, before Herron’s senior season at Dorsey, he met Dashon Goldson at a work out in Los Angeles; Goldson currently plays safety for the Buccaneers.

Without a lot of money for new equipment, Goldson hooked Herron up with a new pair of cleats. Herron wore those same cleats during his entire senior season at Dorsey and still has them to this day.

Once drafted, Stephenson said Herron would love to repay Goldson with his own pair of brand new cleats.

Goldson’s advice to Herron back then about reaching his goals, “just keep doing what you’re doing, working, and you’ll get there,” Stephenson recalled.

The love and support Herron received from Hales and Stephenson during the difficult times in his life developed a trust in them that’s unbreakable.

It’s about who was with you when things were rough because when you reach the goals you always said that you would, you’ll always remember who was there telling you it would happen when you needed them to.  

“Every time someone would hit you with a statistic, like in high school, they’d tell you a certain percent are going to make it to college, I was always thinking I’m that percent,” Herron said. “In college, the percent went down on the number of people that would make it to the pros or whatever, I just always felt like I was that percent no matter what.”

Herron’s message to anyone going through a difficult time in their lives is simple.

“Stay strong and believe in yourself, no matter what the situation is.”

With the NFL draft approaching and the “buzz” surrounding Herron growing, Hales can’t help but think about how far he’s come.

“Sometimes it brings tears of being overwhelmed with happiness for Robert, because it’s been a journey,” Hales said. “It was really a journey, but I’m proud of him and he did it by himself. All the accomplishments and everything, I think back eight years ago and where he is today, I’m just overwhelmed with happiness.”

Stephenson summed up what was probably the most important aspect of Herron’s journey.  

“There’s probably a kid out there at Dorsey right now who looks up to Rob that we don’t even know about,” Stephenson said.

The story of Herron goes beyond football, and that's why he's willing to share his past. He knows there's a kid out there who's going through something similar and that he might be able to help him in some way.

It's easy for anyone to look at Herron's story and see a role model, not by choice or by intent, but because of a belief in himself that trumped his challenges.

It’s about a young man who never had it easy, who never gave up or felt bad for himself and achieved his goals when the odds were stacked against him.

Simply put, it's amazing. 

So on draft day when you hear Herron's name called, just understand the path it took for him to get there and smile like the rest of us who already know. 

Because there's a kid out there somewhere who might be walking a similar path who now has a role model to look up to, and that's Herron affecting others beyond football. 

Outside of the Mountain West Conference, the name Brett Smith means little to most college football fans. It should, however, as it belongs to one of the top QBs in the country, a man who recently broke several records—and yet few people outside of the state of Wyoming even took notice. 

Smith is a junior for the Cowboys, having been the starter since his true freshman season. That hadn't been the plan, but it's how things worked out. The Cowboys had appeared to be pretty set at the position, with former Mountain West Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year Austyn Carta-Samuels firmly entrenched atop the depth chart.

In a surprising turn of events, Carta-Samuels decided to leave Wyoming, believing that they weren't headed in the right direction as a team overall. With Wyoming's once-bright future looking a whole lot cloudier, they turned to Smith as a true freshman.

He didn't disappoint.

In 2011, his first season in Laramie, Smith racked up 3,332 yards of total offense, breaking the previous MWC record for total yards by a freshman by over 600 yards, previously held by former TCU and current Cincinnati Bengals QB Andy Dalton. Smith had 2,622 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air and another 710 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground, while even catching two passes for 17 yards and a touchdown.

His emergence as a powerful dual-threat QB led the Cowboys to an unexpected appearance in the New Mexico Bowl.

Last season, Smith continued his impressive play as the Cowboy's shot-caller. Despite missing two games due to injury, he threw for 200 more yards than the previous season, while boasting an impressive 27-6 touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio and improving his passer rating by over 30 points. His rushing yards fell drastically, but he still managed six touchdowns on the ground. Despite the fact that the Cowboys regressed and finished the season with a losing record, Smith continued to impress.

Which brings us to this season. Just four games in, Smith has already become the school-record holder for most career touchdown passes. He achieved that record on Saturday against Air Force in the midst of another record-breaking performance, as his 511 total yards against the Falcons constituted the Wyoming record for total yards in a game. 

Less than two-and-a-half seasons into his Wyoming career, Smith is already arguably the top QB in school history. With his current pace, it is highly likely that he will break the school record for most career passing yards before the end of his junior season this year. In just four games this season, Smith has thrown for 1,315 yards and 13 touchdowns, while adding another 299 yards and one touchdown rushing with an 8.3 yards-per-carry average so far. 

Smith has led the Cowboys to an impressive 3-1 start this season that included a near-upset of Nebraska on the road. Wyoming looks like the main challenger to Fresno State for the Mountain West Conference title this year, and Smith is a major reason why.

Brett Smith may not be widely renowned, but he is one of the best QBs in the country, and by the time he leaves Laramie, his career will likely be the stuff of legends for Wyoming fans.

It's about time the rest of the country started noticing him too.

When the big shots come to play, War Memorial is as packed as Wyoming will ever see.  But what about when games truly matter?

September 24th, 2011 was viewed nationally as just another day of preseason college football.  But for Wyoming fans it proved to be a historic day.

The (at the time) 9th ranked Cornhuskers rolled into Laramie for the first time ever to play the Wyoming Cowboys.  With a sellout nearing 33,000 fans, it was perhaps the most anticipated game in UW's history.  Many fans bought season tickets just to witness the "border war," so to speak.

Let's face it, while it was a big deal, and Wyoming put up a strong fight only trailing 7-14 at halftime, the likelihood of an upset was improbable at best.  Despite the large presence of red in War Memorial Stadium, Wyoming fans were as hyped up, loud, and rowdy for this game as any in recent history.

Where was this for the rest of the season?

While homecoming against UNLV brought in a mediocre 22,000, attendances at the TCU and New Mexico games were dismal. 

Wyoming fans have been demanding a solid winning team for years, and true freshman Brett Smith and his posse of Cowboys have whipped up a 8-4 (5-2) record to snatch a New Mexico Bowl bid. 

When TCU rolled into Laramie on November 5th to play Wyoming in possibly the Cowboys' most important conference game of 2011, barely 17,000 fans showed up. Snow was in the forecast but it didn't happen. Wyoming wrestled around with the Frogs tying 17-17 at halftime and taking a 20-17 third quarter lead. The Pokes lost 20-31 after some questionable aggression on our quarterback but that's beside the point.

On senior day against New Mexico (whom they beat), the game for which Wyoming could become bowl eligible, 14,000 fans showed up (speaking in terms of ticket sales, anyway). 

Not only was this pathetic turnout a blow to the seniors who have overcome previously adverse seasons (save the 2009 6-6- record and NM Bowl victory) to bring the state a winning team, it was a blow to the entire university.

War Memorial Stadium is not that big, but it can be one intimidating place if more than half the seats are filled. Not being able to fill half the seats of a 30,000 capacity venue just makes one think UW is a cupcake institution since most D1-FCS (formerly AA) schools have better turnouts.

There are plenty of quality fans out there and the Cowboys have the backing of most of the state. But it is apparent sellouts are only generated when the likes of Texas or Nebraska--teams with names--play at UW.

There are legitimate reasons for people not to come to games. Wyoming is a huge state with few people and severe weather conditions. But weather was not the factor people thought it would be this year.

Laramie and the UW student population combined is about 45,000, and much of Wyoming's population is concentrated in the southeastern part of the state (within reasonable driving distance). When it's in the heat of conference play and the Pokes are fighting to be top dog in the conference for once, the War should have a slightly better outing than a high school field.

Wyoming has a reputation for being a loud, tough place to play, especially in the Mountain West.  Now that the Pokes are winning, fans should be there in full support--not just when big shots come to town.

Well, Wyoming fans, we're headed to the New Mexico bowl vs. the Temple Owls.

Temple is from the MAC conference and finished with an 8-4 record, with losses to Penn State, Toledo, Ohio and Bowling Green (who the Pokes beat on the road).

The Owls have a rushing attack that is ranked seventh in the country in yards and a defense that is third in the country in points allowed.

Our Pokes' biggest concern should be stopping Temple's top-notch running game, as the Pokes' main weakness all year has been their run defense. This is a big reason why Temple is favored by seven in this game.

Temple sure does seem to have a lot going for them, as they are ranked higher than the Pokes in both points for and points against. But Wyoming isn't doomed by any stretch of the imagination.

Wyoming has a great chance to win the New Mexico Bowl this year for several reasons. Here's why the Wyoming Cowboys will emerge victorious from their battle with the Temple Owls.

1. Continue To Excel in the Turnover Margin

The Pokes defense may allow a lot of yards, but they have a knack for getting the ball back for their offense. The defense forced three turnovers last week against Colorado State and have a pick-six of Kellen Moore to their name. The Cowboys were plus-five in the turnover margin in their loss to TCU.

If one thing can win or lose a game for any football team, it's turnovers and takeaways. The way the Cowboys have forced turnovers all year has kept the momentum on their side in almost every game this year. The bend-but-don't-break mentality has been a recipe for Wyoming's success this year.

2. Keep the Offense Balanced

The great thing about this Cowboy offense is that they don't rely on either their ground or air attack individually for success. They have success both ways.

True freshman quarterback Brett Smith (who hasn't looked like a freshman at all this year) has been a big part of this balanced Wyoming attack. He has accounted for twenty-eight touchdowns this year and has scored passing, running and even receiving touchdowns.

Coach Dave Christensen's spread-style offense has been very effective this year, as the Pokes have averaged twenty-seven points per game.

3. While Temple Is Also 8-4, Wyoming Has Had a Tougher Schedule

Temple has lost games to Toledo, Penn State, Ohio and Bowling Green.

Wyoming has lost to Nebraska, TCU, Boise and Utah State, and beaten Bowling Green on the road.

Looking at their schedules, Temple has played one ranked team and lost to a team that's not bowl eligible. All of Wyoming's losses are to bowl-eligible teams and three are to teams currently ranked in the BCS Top 25.

The tougher schedule Wyoming has had may be the reason for the difference in statistics as as far as yards per game and points per game go. It also accounts for the Pokes having an 8-4 record. Given Temple's schedule, Wyoming easily could have been a nine-plus win team.

So long as Wyoming takes advantage of their turnover opportunities that they will undoubtedly create and keep the offense balanced and patient, they will take the favored Owls down in the New Mexico Bowl.

This team has overcome the amount of yards they have allowed on the ground enough times this year, and will have extra time to prepare. I have confidence in our Pokes.

Be excited, Cowboy fans; we're going bowling!